Citizen Potawatomi Nation was one of three American Indian tribal government programs to be selected by the Harvard Project’s Honoring Nations program as All-Stars from the family of 112 outstanding programs that have been selected as honorees since 1999.

The Honoring Nations program identifies, celebrates, and shares excellence in American Indian tribal governance. At the heart of Honoring Nations is the principle that tribes themselves hold the key to generating social, political, cultural, and economic prosperity and that self-governance plays a crucial role in building and sustaining strong, healthy Indian nations.

CPN was recognized for the Constitution Reform Project, which resulted in a new constitution that provides the critical foundations for tribal political sovereignty, economic development, social well-being, and cultural preservation.

Administered by the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Honoring Nations is a member of a worldwide family of “governmental best practices” awards programs that share a commitment to the core idea that government can be improved through the identification and dissemination of examples of effective solutions to common governmental concerns. At each stage of the selection process, applications are evaluated on the criteria of effectiveness, significance to sovereignty, cultural relevance, transferability, and sustainability.

“Honoring Nations recognizes innovative programs and initiatives operating throughout Indian Country and provides a unique opportunity for our nations to learn about and replicate these outstanding tribal governance success stories in their own communities,” said Harvard Project Director, Megan Hill (Oneida Nation WI).

2013 Honoring Nations All-Stars:

Archie Hendricks, Sr. Skilled Nursing Facility and Tohono O’odham Hospice
Tohono O’odham Nursing Care Authority, Tohono O’odham Nation
Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Constitution Reform Project
Office of Self-Governance, Citizen Potawatomi Nation
Red Lake Walleye Recovery Program
Red Lake Department of Natural Resources, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians

For more information about Honoring Nations, visit the Harvard Project’s web site at www.hpaied.org or call 617-495-1480.